This Allotment is a love letters to the 'Allotment', a collection of short essays by 13 gifted writers on all of the things that a piece of dirt could and has meant to all of them.

During the pandemic the importance of having access to outdoor space was brought into sharp focus. In today's world where we are always accessible to everyone and everything is always accessible to us via a tiny hunk of metal in our pocket we need a place where we have to put our phones away and just exist somewhere.

The book does not contain any gardening tips or advice but it has inspiration in abundance, painting a vivid picture of what a small plot of land can come to mean to a person.

I read this book throughout the summer to give me the inspiration needed to tackle my own piece of dirt and I think I will reach for it again in winter when smells, sounds, triumphs and disasters start to fade away. A lovely book to dip in and out of for both the green fingered or serial plant killers among us.

A truly lovely collection.

What an amazing collection of essays and stories from such a diverse group of authors. Each entry sheds a different light on the importance and daily integration allotments have with gardeners. This is a fantastic read for anyone who loves to play in the dirt and grow something new.

A wonderful collection about gardening about allotments and their meaning to each author.A really informative entertaining read.#netgalley #elliotthompson

A well rounded mix of stories, which really drive home the point of resillience and self sufficiency

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is not your typical gardening tips book, but an informative and often humourous account, but its filled with humanitarian advice with a degree of success thrown in. It's a recommended read.

I loved the book! A real peek into allotment life. I loved learning what everyone grew and why and it left me wishing I had an allotment, even though I have my own yard! It gave a wonderful look into not only gardening but the community that springs up around them,

Beautiful perspectives on gardening and the value in taking time to live in the dirt/find enjoyment and the connection with food/flowers/the land.
I planted my first basil plants 4 years ago as a way to carry on my father's legacy of gardening. These stories made me feel a deeper connection with the importance of connecting with the land.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

This Allotment: Stories of Growing, Eating and Nurturing edited by Sarah Rigby is an interesting collection about gardening and growing.

3.5 stars

A five star read, possibly, for those who are more informed in gardening than I am/was.

Informative and meditative. Presented in one of the best ways to engage the reader.

Some of the perspectives appealed to me more with their style. I like the idea of the personal stories and unique takes about allotments, but would be nice to see more pictures of the allotments themselves, a section dedicated solely to tips and perhaps, if no photos, some informative and beautiful illustrations. Overall, a very much appreciated book.

This Allotment: Stories of Growing, Eating and Nurturing is a collection of 13 essays by writers on gardening, healing, and nature edited by Sarah Rigby. Due out 6th June from Elliott & Thompson, it's 187 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a collection of ruminations on gardening, by gardeners (who are also gifted writers). There's a deeply philosophical and meditative aspect to gardening, and these writers write well and deeply on success, failure, growth, grief & loss, and what it all means in the larger picture.

This is not a book of gardening tips, there are no plans, no lists, and no direct gardening advice. What the book has in abundance is humanity and humility and some humour and a lot of stories of persevering in the face of adversity. There's camaraderie as well, and some successes.

Four and a half stars. This is a book for reading in a thoughtful frame of mind. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, allotment/gardening group library, home use, or gift giving.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.